Topic: Benson Park

For six decades Benson's Wild Animal Farm in Hudson was the region's only zoo, home to such famous beasts as Colossus the gorilla and Tonya the elephant, plus monkeys, lions and scores of other wild animals. It was an integral part of life here between 1924, when exotic animal trainer John T. Benson bought the old Hazelton farm to house and rehabilitate injured animals, and 1987, when it closed after a short stint as New England Playworld. The 165-acre property has reopened as the town-owned Benson Park, which doesn't have any animals but does have some unique memorabilia such as the gorilla house and the Old Woman in a Shoe, and work continues continuing to bring the site to life not just as a park but as a memorial to the Benson's that so many people remember.